Cap setting tool



July 12, 1932- w. B. THOMAS CAP SETTING TOOL Filed Aug. 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet lnverz'fo/P July 12, 1932. w. B. THOMAS CAP SETTING TOOL Filed Aug. 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 12, 1932 UNITED STAT-ES} PATENT f OFFICE I WAYNE B. rHoMAsQor xouues'rown, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TOHTHE NI'LEs STEEL PROD- Uo'rs COMPANY, or NILES, OHIO A CORPORATION or OHIO on? summer TooL Application filed August 28, 1930. serial N0.'478,537.

This invention relates to improvements in cap setting tools, being intended primarily for attaching andsealingsheet metal caps of-cup shaped form to the ends of metal pipes. 1 i

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a tool of this character for quickly and effectively expanding a bead formed in'thecapand holding the sealing gasket, whereby the gasket ispressed tightly between the cap and the pipe wall, prevent ing movement of the cap aswell as sealing the joint between same and the pipe.

Another object is the provision of a tool of this kind in which the speed of movement of the operating levers is greatest and the leverage least at thebeginning of the work stroke, while the speed is least and the leverage greatest at the end of that stroke, that is, at the time when the load is heaviest. Still another object is the provision of a tool for the purpose stated in which the moving parts are all protected against injury.

Further objects and features ofnovelty will appear as I proceed with the description of those embodiments of the invention which,

for the purposes of the present application, v

ings, in which I Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pressure fluid tool embodyingthe invention, the toolbeing shown in operative relation with a pipe and pipe cap and the operating levers being shown in their inoperative position. p Fig. 2 is a similar view with the operat ing levers shownat the end of their working stroke. a I i I 1 Fig. 3 is an end viewof the tool with the pipe and cap removed; A

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic, longitudinal, sectional view of a valve'control means which may be employed in connection with the invention.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the same, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and Fi 6 isa longitudinal, sectional view of a hand operated tool. 1

The tool herein disclosed is intended priare illustrated in the accompanying drawmarily for use in connection with the closure or pipe cap describedand claimed in the application of David W. Thomas, filed August 6, 1930, Serial No. 473,504. Such caps have particular utility as closures for the ends of heavy gauge steel pipes, as a means for ex-' eluding dirt and moisture after the pipes have been cleaned at the factory and until they are laid as parts of gasoline, pipe lines, or the like. -My invention consists essentially in a means for expanding the cap side wall against anannular gasket, which, is thereby compressed between the capand pipe'to .constitute an effective seal. This expansion may also bring about a close metal to metalcontact on one or both sides of the gasket, thereby assisting the latter in securely holdingthe cap against accidental dislodgmen't.v

Referring now to the drawings, I have shown'at 10 a fragment of one end of a heavy gauge steel pipe having a beveled extremity. The closure cap of cup shaped forrhiisillustrated at 11. It has a flanged rim'to fit over thebeveled end of the pipe, and is provided with circular beadsor corrugations 12 and 13. in the base or bottom portion for strengthening purposes. These corrugations extend downwardly with respect to the'inside of the cap in order not to.interpose any obstructions to the closing mechanism. The side wall of the cap is provided with an annular inwardly extending bead-14L. (see Fig. 1) of semi-circular contour preferably, and in the exterior groove formed by this bead there is mounted anannular soft rubber of circular cross section. V V

The power tool, illustrated in Figs. 1.to 5 inclusive, may be moved about and held to the work by the operator if desired, but I prefer to mount it in a v special frame (not shown). For this purpose the housing, 16 may be pro vided with a series of outwardly projecting eye bolts 17 to receive suitable means for mounting the tool upon the said frame. To the forward end of this housing there is secured a carrier plate orhead 18, in the front face of'which is formed a circular groove 19' adapted to fit over the flanged extremity of the cap 11 and thereby center the tool with respect to the cap and pipe. -Mounted cengasket v 18 the post 20 is grooved to take a collar. '22, which is threaded onits outer side. A

trally in this plate 18 there is a rearwardly extending post or guide rod 20, at the forward end of which is a portion of reduced diameter which extends through an opening in theplate and is threaded at its extremity toreceive aclampingnut 21.

At some distance to, thelzrean of the plate ranged cup leathers 28 and an interposed metal spacer ring 29. The piston of is thus fixed to thepost 20. I 1

The cylinder comprises twoend members 30-and 31'mounted to slideuponthe post 20 and provided with'packing-glands 32 and32' to prevent the escape of :pressure fluid. A iece of steel tubing 34 constitutes the side wall member ofuthe cylinder, the various parts beingheld together .in proper relation by means of studs 35, which arespaced evenly around the periphery of the :cylinder and extend;throughsmooth holes in the end member 31 and are-screwed into threaded holes in the end-member 30. i f On therforward wall of the end member 301' secure, by means of 1 machine screws- 36 or the like, adisc37, having a centralopening ofxsufiicient size 'toigive ready access to the' packing gland 32. One or both of the the tool 7 members'30 and 37 has. an easy sliding fit within an'internally machined portion of the housing 16. Near its'periphery the disc 37 carries a series of pairs'of forwardly projecting lugs -38, evenly spaced. Each pair carries apivot 39, and these pivots'support'the outer. ends of links 40. Int-he drawings these links are shown as formed-of two parts 41 and 42 threaded'together for the purposeof making the length of the'link adjustable,

these parts being held in adjustable. position bya lock nut 43; The forward ends of the links '40 are pivotally'conne'cted with the rear ends or long arms of levers or arms, '44 that extend through openings 45 in the plate1'8 and are mounted upon tangentiallyarranged pivots 46 sup portedin lugs 47 that project forwardly from the pl'ate'1 8on! either side of each opening 45 Extending laterally outward from the forward ends of each lever 44 there-is a presser shoe or jaw 48 which has an outer working. face conforming substantially with the inner surface of the cap 11, that is to say its surface is'a narrow sector of a cylinder with a diameter;approximatelythe same as the inner diameter-of the cap. The shoes 48 are of such length as to bring their ends closely together.

' The number of levers and shoes may be that are sufficiently good for all practical purposes; i

.In the two cylinder end members 30 and 31 I form intake and exhaust passages 50 and 5l,-irespectiv.ely, which are in communication with the cylinder spaces in front of and behind the piston. Suitable valve control means adaptedalternately to dir'ectpressure fluid .in'tothese passages and lead the exhaust fiuid out: ofrthem 1 must i be supplied. To this end I may attach metal pipecom ductors' 52' and:33-.to the end members 30- and 31in communication, irespectively, with the passages'50 and =51, andupon these conductors I may support: a valve casing 53 i within which is mounted a solid cylindrical. valve piece 54: thatiis adapted-tobe rotated-in-the casing 53 b'y' means of-a handle v.55. This valve, of-course, travelsback and forth; with the cylinder 130,. 31, 34. Centrally; attached to therearrendof the .valve casing'53is1a pressure fluid: hose-:01: other flexible conductor 56. In the-sides of the casing are-exhaust ports57yand 58; Intheibottom ofthecas: ing: are two ports 59=and 60 connected re.-

spectively with the pipe-conductors 52 and i 53. In th'evalvezpiece'54-.there is an annular passage. 61iwhich is in. communication at all times with; the flexible zsupply pipe 56 andmavbe-caused to register with either one-oftheports 595 and .60: There are also two curved-passages 162 and 63 in the valve piece54. .When the passage 61 is in register with port 60, the passage 62 is in :position to connect port 59 with exhaust /port 57. Also, when the {passage 61 is in communication with port 59,-exhaustmay take place through port 6 0, passage 63and-the exhaust port 58. flOf'course, the pressure in the cylinder oneither side of the piston may. beheld by rotating the valve piece 54 to movepassageGl out of communication with either of the-ports 59and- 60, at whichti-me the exhaust passages 62 and 63 will also be out of com: munication with their respective exhaust ports 57 and 58. In order that the pipe conductor 52 may not interfere with the movement of the cylinder, Iprovide a longitudinal slot-64 in the-housing 16 of a width sufficient to clear the conductor 52.

; Assuming-thatthe-cap 11 with the gasket 15in place thereon has been pushed into the end of the pipe 10 as far as it will go,'that is, until the rim flang'eon the cap engages the beveled end of the pipe,-the-tool isthen caused to-approach .thepipe-end,.or vice-versa, .r'i

and the parts are guided so as to direct the cap rim into the groove 19, thereby centering thetool upon the pipe and cap. At this time the cylinder 30, 31, 34 will be in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, as will also the links and levers 10 and 44: and the shoes 48. The operator then turns the handle 55 to move valve passage 61 into communication with port 59, and to cause curved passage 63 to connect ports 58 and 60. The pressure fluid in the cylinder space to the rear of the piston will then be exhausted through conductor 53, port 60 and exhaust port 58, while fluid will be admitted through flexible conductor 56, passage 61, port 59 and pipe 52 to the cylinder space in front of the piston. The cylinder will thereby be slid forward upon the-post 20 from the position of Fig. 1

to that of Fig. 2, whereby the shoes 48 will be brought into parallelism with the cap side wall and pressedagainst the bead 14 to expand the same to the form shown at 14: in Fig. 2 and to flatten the gasket 15 to the form shown at 15 in that figure. The cap is by this means firmlylocked in place, and the joint between the cap and the pipe effectively sealed. The handle 55 is then again manipu lated to connect thepassage 61 with the port 60 and the passage 62 with the ports 57 and 59, whereupon the cylinder travels rearwardly to the position of Fig. 1, retracting the shoes 48. The tool and the pipe may then be separated. V i i The modification illustrated in Fig. 6 is a hand tool, operating upon principles similar to those of the power tool above described. It comprises a disc of the same general nature as the disc 37 and links and levers 71 and 7 2 similar to the links and levers 40 and 44, respectively. The carrier plate 7 3, however, is not secured to-the post 74. On the contrary these two parts are relatively rotatable, and 75 is a bearing adapted to take the thrust which occurs during suchjro-tation. At the center of the disc .70 there is fixed a nut 76 which meshes with a coarse thread 77 on the post 74. To the outer ex tremity of this post there is secured a hand wheel 78 by means of which the post may be turned. Other means might, of course, be substituted, and if it were desired to employ power a pulley or gear might be used. Rotation of post 74 in its bearing in plate 73 obviously causes the disc 70' to travel in wardly or outwardly, depending upon the direction of rotation of the wheel 78, and in this manner the levers 72 may be operated in the same way as in the case of the preferred form of the invention previously de-' scribed.

In the foregoing description I have necessarily gone somewhat into detail in order to explain fully the particular embodiments of the'invention herein illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that such detailed disclol y mounted upon the carrier'plate and pro- Jecting through openings therein, an arcuate shoe upon the forward end of each lever hav-.

ing a curvature approximating thatof the cap side wall, and means for moving simul-.

taneously the rear ends of said levers to force said shoes outwardly.

2. In a tool for sealing and, securing in place cup shaped caps, a lever carrying plate,

means associated therewith for centering the plate with respect'to the cap, a series of evenly spaced levers pivotally mounted upon the carrier plate and projecting through, openings therein, an arcuate shoe :upon the .for-,

wardend of each lever, said shoes having outer working'face'swith a curvature approximately the same as that of the cap side wall, the adjacent'ends of the shoes approaching each other closely, and means for moving the rear ends of said levers inwardlyto {force said shoes outwardly against the capside wall.

3. In a tool for sealing and-securing place cup shaped caps, a lever carrylng plate, said plate having acircular groovetherein on" its forward side for centering the plate with respect to thecap, tangentially arranged pivots mounted upon theplateinwardlyof said groove, a lever mounted upon each of said pivots projecting rearwardly: through an opening in said plate, an arcuate shoe upon the forward end of each -lever, sa id shoe having a curvatureapproximating that of the cap side wall, and means for moving 1 the rear ends of said levers inwardly to force said shoesoutwardly. v

4. Ina tool for sealing and securing in place cup shaped caps, a lever carrying plate having a rearwardly extending centrally positioned post secured thereto, means associated with the plate for centering the same with respect to the cap, ,levers pivotally mounted upon the carrier plate and projecting through openings therein, a laterally extending expander shoe upon the forward end of "each lever, a disc slidableupon said post toward and away from said carrierplate, operative connections between said disc and leversadapted to swing said levers upon their pivots when the disc is moved back. ward and forward, and means for moving said disc as aforesaid. I I p 5. In a tool for sealing and securing in place cup shaped caps, a lever carrying plate having a rearwardly extending centrally positioned post. secured thereto,means asso llO ' .ts mss ciatedwith the ;plate-for centering the same with I" respect to the; cap, levers; ivotally mounted uponzthe. carrier plate and proj ectiiigtth'rollgh openings therein, a laterally .ex-

tending expander shoe upon the forward endv ofieaclialever,=,a; =disc slidable upon said post towardnandi away fromsaid carrier" plate,

a-link. connecting the rear endot each lever with: saidadisc, said? levers and links being respiectivelypunitorm in length, andmeans fonmoving ,said=;disc.-b-ackward and forward" upon saidipost.

62' In a-; .tool' place cup: shaped caps, a lever carrying plate having:- a; rearwardly extending centrally positioned post secured thereto, means associated with theplate for centering the same with respect to the cap, levers pivotally mounted upon the carrier plate and projecting' through wopenings therein, a laterally extending; expand.er;shoe upon the forward end ot eaelrlever, a;.; cylinder slidably mounted upon said-post, apistonwithin thecylinder' secured to thepost, means tor admitting.- pressure fiuidto and exhausting itfrom said cylinder 'ong-either.side of said piston, and operative connections between said cylinder and levers-adaptedto swing said levers on said pivots when thecylinder is moved backward and forward.

' 7. In a tool for sealing and securing in place c'upshaped caps, alever carrying plate h'a-Vi-ng a rearwardly extending centrally positioned post securedthereto, .means asso-' ciated with the plate for centering'the same with respect to the cap, leverspivotally mounted-uponthe'carrier plate and project-- ing through openings therein, a laterally extending'expandershoe upon the forward end of each-l'e'ver, a disc slidable upon said post toward jand away from said carrier plate,

said carrierplate, having attached to its periphery a cylindrical housing within which place-cup sa-i'd" disc is adapted to move, operative conally extending'ex-pander shoe upon the for- V w'ardend of each lever, a disc threadably:

mounted'on said post, operative connectionsbetween said disc and levers adapted to swing the levers upon their pivots when the discis moved backwardand forward, and a hand-wheel secured to the rear end of said,

post.

9; apparatus of the character described,

for, sealing and securing in comprising pivotally mounted jaws provid ed with levers, a, fluid: pressureoperated member movable toward; and away, from. the jaws, and toggle links pivotally; connecting70 said memberto the jaws, said member includ mg a cylinder movable toward and away from said jaws, and; means toralternatelyf introducing pressure fiuld into the'oppositeends of the cylinder. V r V V 1 0. An apparatus of the character descr bed, comprising a head, armsextending through and pivotally connected tothe head, a segmental shaped jaw arranged. upon each armforw-ardly ofthe head, and means for rocking said arms, saidqmeans including 'a, guide bar connected 'to and extending tronr the head, a member slidably-mountedupon the guide bar, and; linkmeans 'operativelyconnecting the arms tosaid member;

11. An apparatus of the character,- de? scribed, comprising ahead, arms extending through and-pivotally:connected to thehead,

jawsoarriedby.the-outer ends of the arms,

guide meansrigidly connected to the head, a movable member guided bysaid: means, and links operatively connectingthe-last men tioned member to said arms for causing-the jaws to move radially outward when said membermoves toward the head. a

12. An apparatus the character described, comprising ahead, arms; extending through and pivotally connected to the head,

jaws carried by the out-er ends of the'arms, a gulde cylinder fixed-t0 theheadna member slidably mounted in the cylinderands movable toward and away from-said head, and

toggle links pivotally connectingisaid member to-the'inner ends of therarmsi;

13. An apparatus of the character de scribed,fcompris ing a head, arms pivotall 7 connected to and extendingthrough the vhead: jaws carried by the outer-ends of the: arms,. guide means rigidly connected tovthe head and extending in the-same generalrdirectiony as the arms, amember s-lidablymounted-onthe-guide means and, inovable toward and away from the head, and links pivotally con necting the member to theiinner ends of the arms.

. '14:. An: apparatus otthe character de-; scribed, comprising a head, arms pivotally connected to thehe'ad, .jawscarried by the outer ends of the arms-,5 a guide rod rigidly connectedtoi the head; andextending: in the same general d rect on as the arms,-'a piston fixedto said guiderod, a cylinderslidably mounted on' the rod. andhous ngthe -p1ston:,;,

means for introducing pressure fluid into and discharging pressure fluid alternately from opposite ends of the cylinder, and toggle link-means connecting -the cylinder to V the arms.-

' p p 15; An apparatus otthecharacter described, comprising ajhead, arms pivotally connected; to the- ;head jaws-carried by the outer ends of the arms, a cylinder fixed to the head, a movable cylinder operable in the first mentioned cylinder, a fixed piston arranged within the movable cylinder, means for introducing pressure fluid into and discharging said fluid from opposite ends of the movable cylinder, and means pivotallyv connecting the movable cylinder to said arms.

16. A pipe sealer expanding tool comprising a stationary head, arms extending through the head and having portions near their outer ends pivotally connected to the latter, a jaw arranged upon each arm forwardly of the head, a guide bar rigidly connected to and extending rearwardly from the head, a member slidably mounted upon the guide bar, and links having their inner ends connected to the arms and their outer ends connected to said member, whereby when the member moves toward the. head, the jaws will be moved radially outward.

17. A pipe sealer expanding tool comprising a head, arms pivotally connected to the head, jaws arranged upon the arms forwardly of the head, a guide bar connected to and extending from the head, a member slidably mounted upon the guide bar, links having their inner ends pivotally connected to said arms and their outer ends pivotally connected to said member, and means for preventing each link from moving outwardly beyond a straight line which extends from the point where the arm is pivoted to the head to the point where its respective link is pivoted to said member.

18. A pipe sealer expanding tool compris ing a head, arms pivotally connected to the head, jaws arranged upon the arms forwardly of the head, inner and outer guide members rigidly connected to the head and ex tending rearwardly therefrom, a member slidably mounted between and guided by said members, links having their inner ends pivotally connected to the arms and their outer ends pivotally connected to said slidable member, and means for preventing each link from moving radially outward beyond astraight line which extends from the point where the arm is pivoted to the head to the point where its respective link is pivoted to said slidable member.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

WAYNE B. THOMAS. 

